


The Fear You Won't Fall

by Neverland_lostgirl



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Panic Attack, injured!niall
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-13
Updated: 2014-08-13
Packaged: 2018-02-12 23:52:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2129145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neverland_lostgirl/pseuds/Neverland_lostgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“We’re lost.”</p><p>“No we’re not!”</p><p>“I’m pretty sure we’ve passed this tree about two times now…yup, see there’s that bloody bush full of flowers and that rock that’s in the shape of a potato, oh and that-”</p><p>A sigh. “Fine. Okay, we’re lost. You can stop now.”</p><p>Or, Niall and Zayn get lost in a forest, featuring  unresolved feelings and a serious injury.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fear You Won't Fall

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Ziall fic, so I hope it all goes well? Enjoy :) Part 2 should be up in the next couple of days!
> 
> Warnings: A bit of detail in Niall’s injury but it’s not too bad. Plus warning of a mild panic attack and slight claustrophobia.

“We’re lost.”

“No we’re not!”

“I’m pretty sure we’ve passed this tree about two times now…yup, see there’s that bloody bush full of flowers and that rock that’s in the shape of a potato, oh and that-”

A sigh. “Fine. Okay, we’re lost. You can stop now.”

Niall glanced up from the map in his hands to find Zayn rubbing a hand through his hair, posture stiff and face filled with annoyance. He knew the trip had been his idea, because when you’ve got a cabin on rent for several days then why not explore the woods? Niall had spent the previous day begging all of the boys to go with him but after a lack of success with Liam, Louis and even Harry, he had been left with Zayn.

Zayn, who took two full hours of begging, with lips turned into a full pout and eyelashes batting as he stared at the dark haired lad before him, had finally caved in when Niall offered to do his set of chores for an entire week; because Zayn really did hate doing chores.

The sun shone through the trees and with the warmth hanging heavy in the air, it was no wonder both boys were sweating. Their clothing clung to their skin and Niall could feel beads of sweat trickling down his back.

“Bloody hell, how difficult is it to find our way out of this goddamn forest?” Zayn grumbled. “Let me take a look at the map.” Niall passed over the small map he’d grabbed from a small corner store on their way up to the cabin and watched as Zayn searched for a way back, and if he stared to long at Zayn’s mouth, admiring the way his teeth caught his bottom lip in concentration, well no one else was around to see.

“Find anything?” Niall questioned. He was all for hiking through the forest, it was his idea, but the concept of being lost with no idea how to find their way sent a way of panic through him. The sun was high in the sky but he knew it would only be another hour or so before it started its journey down-and then darkness would consume the forest and them.

Zayn shook his head.

“It can’t be that hard. I know we passed that small stream. Let’s look for that and surely we can find our way back from there!” Niall exclaimed. He prayed they would.

The two set off through the forest, sticks snapping their feet and leaves whipping against their skin. Around them, birds chirped and insects buzzed about. Niall had always loved being outside, although not as much as a good pint and a football match. He rubbed at the back of his neck, the skin hot under his touch, and knew he would have a wonderful sunburn the following day.

For the next several minutes they trudged along in silence, hands every once in a while swatting at bugs until they came upon an open clearing.

“I think it’s on the-”

“-right,” Niall interrupted.

“-left,” finished Zayn.

So this would be an issue, Niall realized from the determined gaze Zayn was giving him. The older boy looked very sure but Niall felt confident in his own opinion. With the sun shining down upon them and none a single breeze in the air, all he truly wanted was the air conditioned cabin and a nice cold glass of lemonade.

“Fuck,” Zayn grumbled. The older boy tossed his bag down and lifted the bottom of his shirt up to wipe the sweat off his face, exposing the soft span of skin littered in tattoos; a sight that made Niall’s heart race. “Check the phone again, alright?”

Niall nodded. He pulled out his phone in hopes there might be bars, however was once again disappointed when he received no signal. “Nothin’…”

“Look, you think it’s right and I think it’s left. How ‘bout we split up and check ‘bout and in 10 minutes we came back here.” Yeah, sure Niall could do that. Obviously the idea of splitting up and getting lost by himself ran through his head but he quickly shook it away. He could do it. He gave Zayn a confirmation and in no time they were heading in opposite directions.

\--

Niall did not like this.

He did not like this one bit.

Every tree looked the same and with each way he looked he felt the area closing in around him. The air began to thicken and Niall felt himself grow dizzy. He leaned back against a tree, bent forward to rest his hands upon his knees and breathed-

_“Just breathe Nialler,” Zayn whispered from the edge of the bed. They were sat upstairs in his room, the house empty and quiet amidst Niall’s inner panic. “Okay? Deep breath in, deep breath out.”_

_Niall glanced up to find Zayn staring back at him, his eyes filled with concern but there was a determination on his face; as though he needed to help. “Breath with me. Deep breath in, deep breath out.”_

_-_ “Deep breath in, deep breath out.” Niall mumbled to himself. Slowly, he felt himself regain enough air to stand straight. Claustrophobia and panic attacks, something he had dealt with most of his life. They were not pleasant but he was learning how to manage them.

“Alright Niall, you can do this. Just turn around and head back in the direction you came from. Zayn won’t be upset that you gave up on your search if you tell him what happened,” and he wouldn’t. That was what he adored about the older man. A heart of gold, Zayn had. Well, that and he wasn’t hard on the eyes. Soft, brown hair; thin lips that he could only imagine pressed against his; a piercing set of eyes that Niall felt stare through him every time they fell upon him and an almost sinful amount of tattoos which littered his lean frame. Even from the first moment Niall had laid eyes upon Zayn he’d know there would be no one more gorgeous than him.

However, Niall hadn’t mentioned it despite the encouraging words from Louis. He couldn’t. The idea of revealing his feelings scared him. There was too much on the line. Four years of friendship to be exact. They’d met when Louis had convinced him to move in with a bunch of lads off campus for their first year of college and after meeting Liam, Harry and Zayn, their friendship began immediately and now they were the best of mates.

Niall sighed. His love life was never going anywhere.

“Pathetic,” Niall mumbled. He moved around a bundle of bushes and had started his way towards, where he thought would lead him back to Zayn, when a loud yell sounded through the trees.

“NIALL!”

He froze, head swinging around.

“NIALL!”

Zayn; he knew that voice anywhere.

“NIALL!”

He started towards the voice, feet carrying him across the forest floor and he’d just made it to the edge of the clearing when he tripped. Niall felt his legs give way and then he heard the snap, followed by a searing pain that consumed all his senses. He grabbed hold of his leg, tears welling up in his eyes and vaguely heard footsteps headed his way.

\---

When Zayn had stumbled back into the clearing after no luck on finding the stream Niall had been so sure would lead him back to the cabin, he’d found it empty. He knew Niall should have been back by now and upon waiting for several minutes, he started forward.

“NIALL!” He shouted.

“NIALL!”

Again, no response; the idea of Niall being lost in the forest sent Zayn into panic mode. He did not like the idea of a scared Niall wandering around alone with no idea where to go.

“NIALL!”

Half way across the clearing, Zayn finally spotted Niall burst through the foliage but the smile he felt spread across his face didn’t last long as the blonde tumbled to the floor, a look of horrible pain crossed his features.

There was a moment of silence and then Zayn took off.

Heart racing, he knelt beside Niall, small whimpers escaping the blonde’s lips.

“Zayn…” Niall whimpered.

“Hey, hey…you’re going to be fine,” Zayn reached forward but paused because the sight before him sent him reeling back. Niall’s left leg was bent at an odd angle, the bone jutted out against the skin and Zayn was truly thankful it hadn’t broken through. “You’re okay…”

“Fuck…fuck…fuck.”

“Shhh, shhh you’re okay. I’m going to get you up as carefully as possible and then carry you back. You’re going to be fine.”


End file.
